FOOTBALL: Heavy defeat for Ilminster Town’s youthful first team

FOOTBALL: Heavy defeat for Ilminster Town’s youthful first team

ILMINSTER Town will be looking to bounce back to form this coming weekend after their decent start to the season in the Premier Division of the Somerset County League was given a severe dent last Saturday (September 30, 2017).

A very young and inexperienced Ilminster side suffered a 7-0 walloping at league leaders Chilcompton Sports – although it should be pointed out that five of those goals came in a 15-minute period in the second-half when the Blues’ youngsters were a little deflated.

Ilminster will now be hoping to have some of their senior players back this Saturday (October 7, 2017) when Street Reserves are the visitors to the Archie Gooch Pavilion at Britten’s Field with a 2.30pm kick-off in the Somerset Senior Cup Second Round.

With a midweek rearrangement the match away against champions Watchet was replaced last weekend by the equally difficult fixture against table-toppers Chilcompton Sports who had won all but one of their league games this season.

Ilminster went into the game with their three most senior players all missing with skipper Jon May and Charlie Rutter away at a wedding and goalkeeper Chris May in Croatia.

It meant that Ilminster had to put out its most inexperienced first-team line-up ever.

With first-team back up keepers Owen Male and Caspar Paine also unavailable, Paul Gold stepped up from the Colts to play in goal 11 years after his last first-team appearance where, of course, he was a talented striker with over 100 Somerset County League goals to his name.

Seventeen-year-old Andre Anjos was given his first start and there were debuts for two 16-year-olds from the bench with Mitchell Hooper coming on for Ben Pitman, who had clearly not recovered from a virus, after 15 minutes and Owen Burn also coming on for his debut.

The game started badly for the Blues when for the second game running a full-back misshit his back pass in the opening exchanges. This time it was Luke Paul at fault and the Chilcompton centre forward nipped it to make it 1-0.
It stayed 1-0 to nearly on half-time and Ilminster had had their chances with both Charlie Berrington and Taylor Jefferson going close, but it was the home side that increased their lead with a direct free-kick right on the stoke of the interval.

Ilminster held out for ten minutes of the second-half, but then the flood gates opened as the young side dropped its head and Chilcompton showed their class with five  goals in a 15-minute spell after playing some great one touch football.

Jack Male, at 22, took the captain’s armband and was inspirational to his side, working tirelessly and covering every blade of grass.

All the youngsters gave everything, but came across a side that was far too good for them on the day.

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